Victor Soderstrom Finding ‘Joy’ In Hockey Again After Bruins Debut

Victor Soderstrom is glad he signed with the Boston Bruins in the offseason.

The Arizona Coyotes selected Soderstrom 11th overall in 2019, as he had plenty of hype. However, he struggled to crack the roster as he skated in just 53 NHL games before going back home to play in Sweden last season.

The Bruins acquired his rights in June, and he opted to return to the NHL, signing a one-year deal with Boston. He made his Bruins’ debut on Thursday, and he claimed he has once again found joy in playing hockey.

“I think just finding the joy back for hockey,” Soderstrom said on Friday. “I think I lost that spark a little bit in Arizona, especially the last year. Ended up signing (in Sweden) like a week before the season started.

“I think it was good for me – I found my game a lot more. I found back to my game a lot more, the way I want to play. Now, afterwards, I don’t regret anything. I think that was a good decision for me.”

In his return to the NHL with the Bruins, Soderstrom had 13:40 of ice time and was a +2 in Boston’s 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Soderstrom will remain in the Bruins lineup on Saturday and will once again play alongside Mason Lohrei.

“He’s smart, and we talk a lot,” Lohrei said of Soderstrom on Saturday. “Just the way he moves the puck, and he’s got offensive ability, too, which is fun to work with each other in that area. I think with both of us, it just starts with being simple in our own end, moving pucks and trying to get up ice. …

“No matter who I am playing with, I think I try to play the same way, play the game to the best of my ability. I like playing with (Soderstrom) I don’t mind playing with anybody. It’s nice to be able to bounce around and get a feel for everybody.”

Boston will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Pre-game coverage starts at 6 p.m. ET on NESN.